JARMAN: The Story of Derek Jarman
Venue: The Corn Hall
Date: Thursday 12th February 2026
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £18.00* (18+) £12* (17 & under)
Run time: Approx. 95 minutes with an interval.
Seating for this event is sold unallocated.
JARMAN: The Story of Derek Jarman
Written and performed by Mark Farrelly
Directed by Sarah-Louise Young
A mighty spirit is about to reawaken. Yours.
Derek Jarman: film-maker, painter, gardener at Prospect Cottage, gay rights activist, writer…his influence remains as strong as it was on the day he died in 1994. But his story, one of the most extraordinary lives ever lived, has never been told. Until now.
This vibrant solo play from Mark Farrelly (Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, The Silence of Snow) brings Derek back into being for a passionate, daring reminder of the courage it takes to truly live while you’re alive. A journey from Dungeness to deepest, brightest Soho and into the heart of one of our most iconoclastic artists.
Jarman’s works include taboo-breaking films like Sebastiane, Jubilee and Caravaggio, pop videos for the Pet Shop Boys (It’s A Sin and Rent), his extraordinary borderless garden in Dungeness, his shocking last paintings, and his unforgettable final film Blue, consisting of a single continuous frame of blue and chronicling what it’s like to lose your sight…but never your artistic vision.
NOMINATED FOR BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE AT OFF-WEST END AWARDS 2023
★★★★★ "This play will reawaken your love for the man. Highly recommended" Queer Guru
★★★★★ “Jarman admonishes us to ‘be astonishing’. And that’s exactly what Mark Farrelly is. Fabulous, thought-provoking stuff” Bum on a Seat
★★★★ “A gripping solo show” The Stage
★★★★ "A mesmerising performance that moves, amuses and shocks in equal measure. A stunning piece of theatre and stage craft that will enthral all that see it” Theatre-News.com
★★★★ “Farrelly is a remarkable actor. He brings an extraordinary, glittering edge and sense of danger to everything he does” Sardines Magazine
★★★★ “The amount of emotional energy Farrelly sustains in taking us through all the different phases of Jarman’s life is remarkable” The Reviews Hub
★★★★ “An astonishing and heartfelt portrayal… Exceptional" London Living Large
★★★★ "An enthralling performance” Reviews Gate
The Corn Hall Diss is delighted to welcome back Mark Farrelly as Derek Jarman after his stunning performance as Patrick Hamilton in The Silence of Snow.
Support The Corn Hall Diss
As a charity we rely on donations to help cover the cost of delivering our programme of exhibitions, events, our community activities such as our Dementia Café, Arts Award, Saturday Club, Tots Tuesdays, Start With Art, as well as supporting our core costs. We ask you to support The Corn Hall with a donation, so that we can continue to be a creative community hub for Diss. Whatever the donation, anything from £1 to £10,000, is support that The Corn Hall didn't have until you very kindly gave it to us. We offer you a very warm thank you.
Accessibility
We want to make your visit to The Corn Hall as enjoyable and comfortable as possible, so we have provided you with detailed information regarding accessibility in all areas of the theatre. If you have any questions, or to register on our Access Scheme to enable accessible seating, discounts and companion tickets, please do not hesitate to contact the Box Office, between 10am and 4pm Monday to Saturday on 01379 652241 or email [email protected] We will soon be working with Nimbus Disability, a Social Enterprise that has received international recognition for its Access Card Scheme. For more info on how to book access tickets online, take a look here: https://app.accesscard.online/apply/access-card/form/. We have a limit on how many wheelchair spaces we can safely accommodate therefore these need to be reserved in advance.
*not including booking fees of £2.50 per transaction, not per ticket.
Suitable for ages 14+, please note that audience members aged 16 and under need to be accompanied by a person aged 18+
